Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Timed math tests - help

DS5 (probably 2E/waiting for assessment/no IEP/attends small private school) is starting timed math tests at school. The idea is do to 57 problems in three minutes. I am not sure he could write 57 random numerals in three minutes. He has to really think about how each number is formed. He often says the HWT trick as he is writing like "Six is a little animal that crawls down his burrow, curls up and bumps his bottom on the line"

I am trying to figure out the best way to approach this with him and with the school. I know these things are going to be a part of the school experience for the foreseeable future.

Maybe doing the test worksheet but not timed so he can practice writing the numerals and then the three minute drill with some flash cards?

I just don't want it to be such a negative frustrating experience that it sets him up for hating this kind of test.

The teachers are willing to work with me on a reasonable accommodation.

Any suggestions?

I would separate the skills as you suggest: practice the math orally, and practice the handwriting fluency. Start just by writing 20 6's each day, etc, then write a mixture. I'd inform the teacher this is what you're doing.

What grade is he in? That's the standard (30 in 90 seconds) in DS' s second grade class!

My DS s teacher has him work on the same sheet at the same time but has acknowledged it just isn't going to happen quickly as he just can't do it. So she has him do as much as he can and that's it - but she does insist that he get them right, so he has to correct them like everyone else. Basically she exempted him from doing it timed. I think it's legitimate - after all the point is to make it rote not the speed for speed sake. My only complaint is that he never finishes the sheet. I wonder if he needs to even at his own pace - but she doesn't make him do it. Also, I have pointed out to her that he can do them in his head but the writing screws it up, the same with spelling. So I think sometimes she also tests him orally. Our goal here was for him to not feel too bad about not being able to do it. I am not worried he isn't getting the math. If you are worried about the math then definitely have him work on it without the timing, either though an app or flash cards or something. But otherwise, the timed stuff is about translating rote facts quickly, not just about the memorization. And my DS just can't do that.

DeHe

My DD also had the "couldn't write that many numbers in the time limit" problem, and I don't think she ever successfully hit the time standard.

I just had her do the sheet at home, no matter how long it took her, and kept a chart of the decreasing times, so she could at least see some improvement. Other than that, waiting it out was all that helped. Fourth grade was the last year for timed drill at our school.

He is in a mixed preK/K class.
At this point it is just adding 0's and 1's to 0-10.

I think they just want them to get used to the process and understand that it might take some kids a while to catch on.

the process. ha.

Well.. when I read your OP, I was going to reply that my dysgraphic ds has an accommodation which allows for oral replies on frequency tests. And I assumed he must be grade-accelerated since he was doing timed math facts tests.

When I saw your reply mentioning that he is in a mixed preK/K class, honestly, I'd not worry about it. I think it's a bit ridiculous for the students to be doing that type of work already! But that's just me

polarbear

Gaaaa... I still have PTSD from those stupid things.

If you took that blog post above and added "What a surprise that I went on to earn a PhD in a physical science, eh?"

Then that pretty much sums it up. I can remember my 3rd grade teacher's AMAZEMENT that in spite of my apparent "slowness" at "math" I was easily the top student in the geometry enrichment unit offered to the 4th graders in that split classroom. Just imagine! It must have been a savant ability... {rolling my eyes here}

Yeah, nothing like teaching a subset of kids with dysgraphia, poor focus, test anxiety, poor fine motor skills, or slow processing speed that they are "too stupid to ever do math" before they've ever even SEEN anything resembling actual mathematics to start with.

I'm here to tell you that this practice is DAMAGING. It labels kids with genuine mathy ability as "deficient" and it wrongly labels kids who have fast processing speeds and good memory as "good at math" when they really haven't demonstrated that. As anxiety mounts for the kids who can't do them easily, it's very easy for that anxiety alone to begin interfering with such students' ability to EVER meet the benchmark.

No wonder it's "predictive" to some degree-- it generates a self-fulfilling prophecy!!

I never felt good about my math ability until I took differential equations as a college senior. I was downright math phobic until then, and it all can be traced back to those STUPID pink mimeographed sheets of what seemed like a thousand problems to be completed in ten seconds. Blergh. Seriously-- I can remember just giving up on them and putting my head down on my arms and crying. I love math, by the way-- particularly applied mathematics.

:grr:

I'm well, I agree. DS's private gifted school was making DS do xtramath.org timed tests last year in K too. I thought it was terrible then and still do. So I wrote an article about it - partly on my own trauma with timed tests like HowlerKarma experienced and as a more VSL person, but with a mathy 2e.

http://opensource.com/education/13/1/open-math

For 2e kids, especially, I think timed math tests in pre-k/k/1st grade are silly and too often a recipe for math anxiety, imo.